Five Things That Set Real Entrepreneurs Apart

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - April 5, 2013 - PRLog -- Free Lunch Fridays, a non-profit organization that supports start-ups and entrepreneurs, kicked off its first monthly meeting on March 29 with an engaging presentation by Bob La Loggia, CEO and founder of Appointment-Plus online scheduling software.

His presentation, “Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of One”, encouraged attendees to put themselves in their customers’ shoes to be successful in their businesses.

Stressing the important of entrepreneurial agility and flexibility, La Loggia added that all start-ups can be broken down into five “must-have” components:

1. Marketing. It’s essential to define and narrow your target market, correctly position the product or service in front of the customer, and differentiate your business from the competition.

2. Sales. Characteristics of a successful sales focus include: influence factors, which build credibility; authority, such as blogging about a select industry or speaking at a conference; and social proof, such as customer testimonials and referrals. Having a basic sales flow in place is also essential.

3. Support. While the main objective of support departments is to assist customers, support reps also play a role in retention, up-selling/cross-selling and gaining referrals.

4. Finance. Entrepreneurs must have an understanding of financial statements, balance sheets, accounting basics, taxes and cash flow for their businesses to operate profitably.

5. Technology. Given the role technology plays in all businesses, entrepreneurs should have a knowledge of basic database concepts, system language and development lifestyles.

To ensure that none of the above components are ignored, La Loggia suggested his “Geek In A Week” program. This involves dedicating one week to each component and four hours each day during that week focused on that aspect of your business.

About Appointment Plus: http://www.appointment-plus.com is the leading scheduling software dashboard designed to reduce no-shows and process online payments. Car dealership franchises, automotive service shops and major fitness clubs use Appointment Plus to allow their clients to self-book through Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.